Connectivity key to development, says PM

December 25, 2017 4:53 pm

New Delhi,

Underlining the need of connectivity for all-round development of the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the government is focusing on augmenting the infrastructure to boost connectivity.

“We are working to bring people closer by connecting all villages by pucca roads by 2019 under Pradhan Mantri Grammen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY).” Mr Modi said.

Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating a stretch of Magenta Metro line between Noida and South Delhi at Noida, Mr Modi said this is an era in which connectivity is all important and recalled the contributions of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in giving pace to the development of the country by a host of futuristic road infrastructure projects like Golden Quadrilateral and PMGSY.

“Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji is the ‘Bharat Marg Vidhata.’ He has shown us the way towards development. He focussed on futuristic road infrastructure. ” Mr Modi said.

Stressing the need for state of the art mass transit systems to reduce dependence on oil imports he said, “In 2022, when we mark 75 years of freedom, I dream that we live in an India in which our petrol imports reduce. In order to achieve this, means of transportation like metro trains are need of the hour,”.

He said besides expanding road network, his government was also working to improve the railway infrastructure at a historic pace. Taking a pot shot at the opposition, Mr Modi said there are people who do not look at these projects from an angle of development but only through the prism of politics.

Governance cannot happen when the dominant thought process begins at ‘Mera Kya’ and ends at ‘Mujhe Kya,’ Mr Modi said. “We have changed these mindsets. For us, decisions are about national interest and not political gains,” he said”.

Maintaining that the national Democratic Alliance (NDA) government was committed to holistic development of the country and its populace, the Prime Minister said his government was moving on road to development led good governance.

Earlier, Mr Modi inaugurated a stretch of Magenta Metro line between Noida and Delhi. The line connects Botanical Garden in Noida with Kalkaji Mandir in Delhi.

Mr Modi took a ride with UP Chief Minster Yogi Adityanath, Governor Ram Naik and other senior officials on the inaugural run of the train. In a tweet Mr Modi said the new line is yet another example of government’s push towards modernising urban transportation.This is the third metro line to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in 2017.